Week 2: Thinking Like a Political Scientist PDF

Week 2: Thinking like a Political Scientist Tuesday, December 10, 2024 6:57 PM Slides notes: Subjectivity: "a characteristic of or belong to reality as perceived rather than as indepen mind"; or "experience or knowledge" that is "conditioned by personal mental characteristics or st "modified...

Week 2: Thinking like a Political Scientist Tuesday, December 10, 2024 6:57 PM Slides notes: Subjectivity: "a characteristic of or belong to reality as perceived rather than as indepen mind"; or "experience or knowledge" that is "conditioned by personal mental characteristics or st "modified or affected by personal views, experience, or background" (i.e. "a subjective of the incident"). Objectivity: "of, relating to, or being an object, phenomenon, or condition in the realm sensible experience independent of individual thought and perceptible by all observers reality independent of the mind" - Observing reality as it is, in measurable & empirical ways. - Identifying facts that are independent of individual perspectives. - Providing evidence to support claims. - Connecting arguments to accounts. - Accepting evidence independent of bias, or external subjective desires. Objectivity is not neutrality. Argument to moderation fallacy - A logical fallacy based on the incorrect assumption that the 'truth' is somewhere i between two competing positions. Power, Governance, and the State Political scientists study all kings of things, but they do so using a specific set of concept construct their contextualization's and explanations of social reality; those being power governance, and the state Power does not equate strength  ndent of tates"; or account m of s: having in ts to r, Political scientists study all kings of things, but they do so using a specific set of concept construct their contextualization's and explanations of social reality; those being power governance, and the state Power does not equate strength The State: "A state is a human community that (successfully) lays claim to the monopol legitimate use of physical force within a given territory" - Max Weber Disambiguating power: Three dimensions of power-over One-Dimensional Power: Views power as the ability to make someone do something th would not otherwise do. It focuses on direct and observable conflicts where one party i its will on another. (Making someone do what they otherwise wouldn't do). AKA. Intentional Direct Force. Two-Dimensional Power: Includes not only direct decisions, but also the ability to cont political agenda. It focuses on creating or reinforcing institutional practices and social v that shape what issues are considered and debated. (e.g. Media organization focusing o specific narratives while ignoring others). AKA. Intentional Indirect Force Three-Dimensional Power: This dimension explores how power operates beyond visib decisions or agenda-setting. It includes structural and discursive forces that shape perce preferences, and social arrangement, often without conscious awareness. (e.g. Power embedded in social systems and norms) AKA. Unintentional Indirect Force Governance: - Distinct from government, and works across all three dimensions of power. - Institutions, practices and discourses aimed at transforming and directing the con subjects. - Involves not only explicit direction but also processes of subject formation, identif and legitimation. - Is general and can be extended to almost any area of life, and you can see yoursel shaped by, using, accepting, and resisting 'governance' all the time - Political scientists are sometimes interested in specific areas of governance; other we are concerned to add these all up into overall 'forms of life' or 'systems' such a 'capitalism,' 'modernity,' etc. ts to r, ly of the hey imposes trol the values on ble eptions, nduct of fication, lf as r times, as 'capitalism,' 'modernity,' etc.